Mr. Saunders, Mr. Hopps and Ms. Sorrin will discuss the Saunders Hotel Group's expansion of their sustainability program. The new and broader program, called Genuine Responsibility, will include a focus on wellness for guests and staff, and greater engagement with the community.

Ms. Barney will discuss 2017 green highlights for the Seaport Hotel. She'll focus on new technologies that the hotel has incorporated, and on actions the hotel has taken to improve its sustainability message to clients and employees alike.

Attendees will learn about strategies for portfolio-wide energy reduction, the Better Buildings Financing Navigator tool, the latest in energy management and smart building technologies and relevant case studies featuring hotels that partner with DOE.

Mr. Youngs will show how hotels can streamline their HVAC, plumbing and electrical projects, maintenance and repairs with the use of the latest technology platform. By using this platform, combined with the world's largest HVAC manufacturer, hotels can save time and reduce costs.

IDEAS

Healthy Hotel Mattresses

Hotel brand mattresses maximize comfort and promote good sleep. However, few of them meet the highest health standards.

Most hotel mattresses are made primarily of polyurethane foam, which emits VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can cause respiratory and other health problems. Off-gassing declines over time, but some chemical exposure persists.

Common crib mattresses release almost 30 different kinds of VOC's, fragrances, allergens and phthalates according to recent studies. This is particularly concerning, because chemical exposure harms babies more than adults.

Mattress covers can be problematic, too. Some are made of PVC plastic (vinyl), which off-gas phthalates, a class of chemicals that are hormone disruptors. It's better to use covers made of polyurethane laminate, fabric or polyethylene.

The healthiest mattresses, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG):

are made of at least 95% certified organic materials like cotton, wool and natural or organic latex.

While polyurethane foam mattresses aren't optimal, and don't qualify to be GOTS and GOLS certified, some are healthier than others. The Greenguard Goldand the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certifications recognize low-VOC mattresses, including some made from polyurethane foam.

The CertiPUR-US certification applies to polyurethane foam mattresses only. These mattresses must be relatively low in VOC's and made without certain injurious substances (harmful flame retardants, heavy metals, formaldehyde and phthalates). It's important to note that CertiPUR-US is comprised of chemical company and foam fabricator representatives. Its standards are weakerthan the other certifications.

Hotels maintain the health of their mattresses by:

airing out ones that off-gas before using them.

vacuuming them periodically to reduce dust mite allergens and microbes.

using zippered pillow and mattress covers made of tightly woven fabric--not made from PVC.

Christopher Perry, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, December 2017

The author describes how smart building technologies can best be incorporated into four market segments, including hotels (pages 29 - 39). He details the expected costs and savings associated with smart technologies used in hotel HVAC, lighting, energy management systems and elsewhere.

2018 MEETINGS

The following meeting will be 2:30 to 4:00.

March 8

The Lenox Hotel

April 5

The Ritz-Carlton, Boston

October 11

The Langham, Boston

* We'll have one more meeting in the fall. I haven't scheduled the date yet.